


worth waiting

by sharkfish



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Castiel (Supernatural), Alpha Castiel/Omega Dean Winchester, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Ficlet, M/M, Mates, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Nesting, Omega Dean, Sappy, Scent Marking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 09:14:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19059655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sharkfish/pseuds/sharkfish
Summary: “I’m going into heat,” Dean says in a rush. “And I wanted to ask — but Jesus, you’d hate who I am when…” He looks away, cheeks flushing, and lets out a hollow laugh. “I’m not even sure you like regular me.”





	worth waiting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KelpietheThundergod](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KelpietheThundergod/gifts).



> prompted by [cuddlemonsterdean](http://cuddlemonsterdean.tumblr.com) (kelpiethethundergod): _how about omega dean who's in his forties but unmated because he has difficulties asking for his needs to be met in relationships? like he /craves/ the reassurance of lots of touch and of scent-marks, but doesn't want to fall into the cliché of the "needy omega" or be treated as a possession. and cas is the first one he feels safe enough around to share his fears and needs with? i hope this isn't silly or too specific!_
> 
> i think of this more like a ficlet, but it went over the word count that i arbitrarily decided was a "ficlet," so here we are. 
> 
> NOTE: it's not silly. it's perfect.

It’s Friday night, and Cas is running a little early, far more giddy to see Dean than is probably appropriate at his age. He sings loudly in his car on the way over, windows down to experience the joy of a great day to be alive. 

Dean’s door is unlocked for Cas like always, but instead of puttering around in the kitchen or playing with his phone on the couch, Dean’s shower is still running. Cas has a visceral image of Dean under the spray, water gliding over the muscles in his back, but he forces the thought away. 

Cas pulls two beers out of the fridge and sits on the couch, fidgeting, until the shower shuts off. “I’m here!” he yells down the hall. 

“Give me a minute!” Dean yells back, appearing not much longer in a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and bare feet. “You’re early.” 

“It appears so,” Cas says. His nostrils flare, and a scent — it must be Dean’s, what he actually smells like without the blockers — hits him, like fields of wildflowers in spring. He tries to keep his expression neutral and hopes his eyes aren’t flaring hot. 

Dean licks his lips. Swallows. Approaches the couch almost cautiously, eyeing Cas. “You ok?” 

“Better than. What do you want for dinner? I’m starving.” 

“Actually — I need to talk to you about something.” 

Cas’s heart falls crooked, but he stops himself from flinching. “Sure.” 

“I don’t usually date alphas cuz I’m not exactly a trophy omega, you know? So —” 

“You’re not a trophy,” Cas says. “But I understand if —” 

“I’m going into heat,” Dean says in a rush. “And I wanted to ask — but Jesus, you’d hate who I am when…” He looks away, cheeks flushing, and lets out a hollow laugh. “I’m not even sure you like regular me.” 

“What?” Cas says. “Of course I like you.” 

“You haven’t kissed me.” 

“I owe you an apology,” Cas says slowly, “if my intentions have been that opaque. I wanted to let you set the pace.” 

Dean crosses his arms, jaw tightening. “I’m not some  _ fragile —”  _

“Dean,” Cas says, firmly. “I know. But I’m — not very good at dating. And I’m trying not to ruin this with you.” Dean’s glare softens but he doesn’t say anything, so Cas says, “I’ve wanted to kiss you since about ten minutes into our first date.” 

Dean snorts. “Is getting your ass kicked at air hockey a kink of yours?” 

“You play dirty.” 

Dean’s scent shifts, just barely, and he ducks his head. Cas tries not to stare at the exposed curve of his neck. “I wanted to ask you. If you wanted to stay with me this weekend.” 

“During your heat?” Cas says, though he already knows the answer. Can feel it tingling under his skin. 

“Yeah.”

Cas takes a deep breath, though that just makes his thoughts cloudier as Dean’s scent — warming now, enticing, dusk on the breeze — inhales deep into his lungs. “Of course I’ll stay.” 

“So I — this is really stupid, but I have this thing. When I’m like this.” 

Cas prepares himself for Dean to say he likes being chased, held down,  _ possessed.  _ Some people do, but Cas has never had the urge to dominate. 

“I just really — need someone to pretend to be my mate.” Dean blushes and won’t look Cas in the eyes. “Like, nests and marking and stuff. I know it’s path—” 

He cuts off abruptly when Cas gets closer, and Cas can feel his pulse racing when he nuzzles into the soft underside of Dean’s jaw. Cas can’t believe he’s never been close enough to breathe nothing but Dean, no chemicals between them. 

Dean makes a soft, plaintive noise when Cas rubs his cheek against the side of Dean’s neck. Dean’s clean-shaven and Cas hopes his own stubble leaves a hot tingle behind to go with his own spring-cedar scent mixing with Dean’s. “Of course I’ll take care of you,” Cas says. “Anything you need.” 

Dean’s breath catches, and Cas leans back to look him in the eye. “If you were my mate, I would spoil you for days, starting with making sure you’re well fed.”

“I would kill for a pizza.” 

Cas laughs and Dean smiles in return. Cas isn’t sure he’ll be able to go back to not being able to scent Dean’s happiness, like fields of blooming sugar cane stalks. “Homeslice deliv—” 

“I want shitty pizza,” Dean interrupts, and raises an eyebrow like he expects Cas to argue. 

“Pizza Hut it is.” 

Cas lets Dean pick the toppings, bending towards him with the pretense of sharing the view of his phone. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see that Dean keeps shooting him these indecipherable looks. 

“So, uh,” Dean says, once the screen flashes  _ Thanks for your order!  _ “You still not gonna kiss me?” 

They’re still close, shoulders overlapping, and Cas tamps down a smile. Brief touches haven’t been enough, not for the alpha inside him desperate to be close to his omega. “You could do it first.” 

Dean rolls his eyes, cheeks flushing as he closes the space between them. It’s soft and almost hesitant at first, but Dean melts into Cas when he slides a hand into Dean’s hair. 

Cas has never wanted to  _ take  _ but he’s wanted to  _ have  _ since the moment he saw Dean’s smile, and he growls into the kiss without being aware he’s doing it. The scent of arousal blooms, so quickly that Cas is startled into pulling away. Dean’s bright-eyed and red-mouthed, breathing shakily. 

“You’re so beautiful,” Cas murmurs. 

Dean smiles, a bashful one Cas hasn’t seen before. “You too, alpha,” Dean says. 

The doorbell rings. 

Cas has the ridiculous urge to shield his omega from prying eyes, but he contains it. The delivery person has probably seen — and smelled — way worse, because she doesn’t react at all. 

Dean’s in the kitchen pulling out plates like he, too, wants to avoid prying eyes, and he groans with delight when he joins Cas back at the couch. “I go a little protein crazy,” Dean says as he shoves half a slice in his mouth in one bite.

“I noticed,” Cas says. He adores Dean even when he’s shoveling food into his mouth, a red smear at the corner of his lips. 

“Fuck you,” Dean says around another mouthful, bumping their shoulders together. 

“Is that something you want this weekend?” 

“I’m in heat,” Dean says — like Cas is an idiot — as he grabs a second slice. 

“You didn’t mention sex earlier.” 

“Well. I — yeah, sex is good.” 

“Knotting?”

Dean looks away and there’s a pause before he says, “If you want.” 

“I do.” Cas has imagined it, holding Dean close and pressing kisses to bite marks he’s left. He hopes he doesn’t make a fool of himself. Hopes he doesn’t disappoint. 

“Cool,” Dean says, his sweet scent betraying his matter-of-fact tone. 

Cas squeezes Dean’s knee. “Cool.” 

 

After dinner, they kiss again on the couch, with plenty of breaks for Cas to scent and softly bite at Dean’s throat, to spread his own scent. 

“Where do you want your nest?” Cas says, nuzzling the soft spot just underneath Dean’s ear. 

“I have some blankets. In my room.” 

Cas stands and lets Dean lead him down the hall by the hand. “Ok,” Dean says as he flips on the light. “I got a little out of control.” 

There’s a mountain of blankets and pillows on the floor next to Dean’s bed. “Wow,” Cas manages to say. 

Dean looks down and shifts on his feet. “Yeah. Sorry.” 

Cas squeezes his hand and pushes through the pile to take stock. It smells like nothing, not even Dean, which means scent-erasing laundry detergent. His jaw clenches when he realizes that probably means it was covered in another partner’s scent not too long ago, and Dean takes a step back and says quickly, “It’s ok. You don’t have to.” 

“I want to,” Cas says, grabbing several pillows and starting to arrange them in the corner. 

After all of the blankets and pillows are arranged — Cas even pulls the ones off of Dean’s bed, which at least smell like him — they stand shoulder-to-shoulder to inspect it. 

“What do you think?” Cas says. 

“Doesn’t smell right,” Dean says, and starts to strip while Cas gapes, stunned by the reveal of golden skin, freckles, the dimples on Dean’s lower back. 

Dean drops into the nest, burying himself in the depression in the center, just big enough for the two of them. Cas just keeps staring, enchanted by the flex of the muscles in Dean’s back and the scent of slick between his thighs. 

“It’s a little lonely in here,” Dean says, flashing Cas a smile. 

Cas pulls off his clothes quickly, laughing along with Dean when he nearly falls while struggling out of his jeans. Dean’s still smiling when Cas lowers himself on top of him to steal a kiss, and then a second, and then a night’s worth. 

Cas bites his tongue when he wants to whisper loving adoration into Dean’s ear. He’s worth waiting for. 

**Author's Note:**

> [reallyelegantsharkfish](http://reallyelegantsharkfish.tumblr.com) on tumblr


End file.
